Chapter Seven

Sorry if this chapter seems rushed. I’ll be at a debate meet all weekend so I won’t have much time to work on the next chapter. I hope this will tie you over until I get back! Read and Review! Got any advice feel free to email me.

The SheriffChapter Seven: The Sheriff Arrives

A few days later Crystal was in the garden helping Mrs. Little prune the flower bed. A voice suddenly rang from inside the house.

“Mrs. Little! It’s Rex.”

“In the garden dear.”

She replied.

A tall man in a sheriff’s uniform came walking out. Next to him was a large dog that had wolf-like features. The man, Rex, looked to Crystal.

“They released you already?

“I’m sorry?”

She asked, taken aback.

“They release you? From the hospital?”

His face was mostly shaded by his cowboy hat but Crystal knew, if she could see, his eyes would be the deepest blue.

“How did you know I was in the hospital?”

Her mind was in overdrive. She was picturing her escape before the question even left her lips.

“One of my deputies was the one who found you.”

His gravelly voice reminded Crystal of a western she had once watched, and she didn’t like it. If she couldn’t tell what his end game was, she would avoid the question all together.

“Your deputies? What are you, the Sheriff?”

Hoping he would just drop it, she chuckled lightly.

“Are you going to answer my question or not? Stop wasting my time.”

His tone promptly changed to an ice cold sound. A tone Crystal was all too familiar with. She crouched down and placed the flower pot she had been holding on the ground then went inside.

“I guess not.”

Rex said in retort.

Mrs. Little surveyed Crystal’s retreating form.

“Rex dear, was that necessary?”

“No.”

She chortled at his cynical behavior.

“You’ll never get a girlfriend acting that way honey. What did you need?”

Rex removed a newspaper from his back pocket and passed it to the older woman.

“Just this. I’ll keep you informed. Rho. Let’s go boy.”

Calling his partner over, who had taken it upon himself to rest beneath the shade tree, The Sheriff turned to leave.

“Rex, you catch this bastard.”

He nodded in acknowledgement of her request before continuing out. As he strode to the front door, he saw Crystal sitting on the kitchen counter staring out the window. He watched her and couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret for how he acted. Shaking it off before he could ponder on it too much, he grasped at the door knob.

“No.”

Rex hesitated as Crystal’s voice reached his ears.

“They didn’t release me, I left.”

“I see.”

He spoke just loud enough for her to hear and opened the door. Rho pushed past his owner’s legs roughly to jog towards the truck.

As Rex slid into the driver’s seat, he turned on his state issued laptop. Right as he began typing in a name his radio went off.

“Nine Fifty-Seven to Nine Fifty.”

The Sheriff slammed the laptop shut to answer.

“This is Nine Fifty go ahead.”

He waited for Deputy Fredricks to call back. When he didn’t Rex radioed again using a little more force.

“This is Nine Fifty, go ahead Nine Fifty-Seven.”

While he waited, Rex turned the key in the ignition so he could lower the passenger seat window for Rho.

“Nine Fifty we have an Eleven Twenty-Four outside of town. You’re going to want to see this Sheriff.”

“What’s your Ten Twenty?”

“South-side, about two miles out.”

Giving the ten-four Rex drove off. Unaware Crystal had been watching him from the kitchen window.

Once Rex located the vehicle and his deputies, he steered his police vehicle over on the side of the road. He stepped out making sure to move over so Rho could follow suit. The two walked over to the site.

“So? What have you got Fredricks?”

Deputy Fredricks began to visibly fidget under the intense stare Rex was giving him.

“Fredricks. Now would be good.”

Fredricks motioned with his left hand for the Sheriff to follow him. The stepped through the tall grass en route to the abandoned truck.

“I-I-I’m not sure what to think Sheriff. None of us are. We thought he was gone for good.”

Sheriff Rex Johnston knew what was coming. It was only a matter of time before he came back to town; came back for revenge. Rex opened the driver’s side door. Lying on the seat was a small piece of paper; written in black ink was Rex’s name. Rex backed away and slammed the door with near glass shattering force, which cause Fredricks to fidget once more.

“Bag the evidence.”

He informed his Deputy. Fredricks cringed before going to find an evidence bag. Rex whistled for his partner, who had wandered off yet again. He marched in the direction of his truck debating what his next course of action would be. As the man burst into his truck he slammed the key in his ignition. Rho, who only barely managed to jump in, whined lowly from the passenger side. Rex whispered a name against the sounds of his deputies on his radio. A name he wished to never hear again.